The St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Pittsburgh has its good days, like the 70-degree beauty in 2012, and it’s bad ones, the blizzard of 1993, but one thing is certain: It’s going to happen either way.

The parade, which started in 1864 and has run consecutively since 1950, will step off near the Greyhound station on Liberty Avenue and make its way to the Post-Gazette building on Saturday with nearly 200 marching units, including bands, floats, politicians and groups from Irish and other ethnic communities.

After all, everyone is Irish at the St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

This year’s grand marshal is Martin Madigan of Hampton, a founding member of the Irish Society for Education and Charities, former Pennsylvania State president of the Ancient Order of Hibernians and retiree from the Allegheny County Register of Wills Office.

WILKES-BARRE, PA — St. Patrick’s Day is upon Northeastern Pennsylvania, which will include a weekend of parades and other festivities.

For law enforcement, it will mean more work than usual.

Scranton Police Chief Carl Graziano was among the officials at a news conference held at the Lackawanna County Courthouse this week. Officials encouraged residents to enjoy St. Patrick’s Day safely and responsibly.

“As everybody knows, it’s no secret that that’s the biggest alcohol consumption day — at least in the city — is St. Patrick’s Day Parade day,” Graziano said.

2014 is coming to a close! It went by fast. We would like to wish our readers a very Merry Christmas and a Happy Hanukkah. We are thankful for each one of you and appreciate you stopping by our humble site to see what’s new in the great state of Pennsylvania (and sometimes our kissin’ cousins, New Jersey and Delaware).

We wish for peace on earth and that the human race would learn to co-exist better on this fragile rock we call planet Earth.

It will be 2015 in a few days. That date sounds so futuristic to those of us born in the 1950’s. We would have thought humanity would be further along by now, but apparently we are slow learners in the work and play well with others category.

Have a safe holiday, enjoy time with family and friends, do random acts of kindness and don’t eat too much!

Looking for a great gift? How about a gift certificate to Pottstown’snumber 1rated restaurant on Yelp and Trip Advisor! Shopping small returns dividends to your community. Buying from a big box chain does not help the local economy. Buying from a locally owned business does!

The National Runaway Switchboard estimates that on any given night there are approximately 1.3 million homeless youth living unsupervised on the streets, in abandoned buildings, with friends or with strangers.

Here is Your Chance to Help

The TCN Homeless Services and Youth Development Committees are working together to create care packages for local homeless teens. You can help by donating any of the following items:

X-Large Hoodies

Gloves
Hats

Socks
Toiletries
$5 Gift Cards to Local Food Stores

Prepaid Phone Cards

Items can be donated by contacting Paula Kamp at 610-326-9460, Ext. 209 to schedule pick up or drop off at Community Health & Dental Care at either of the following locations: